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The Honor of the Queen/Chapters
The Honor of the Queen consists of a total of 35 chapters. ---- 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 ---- Chapter One Over two and half years after the Battle of Basilisk, Captain Honor Harrington of the Royal Manticoran Navy inspects her current command, the heavy cruiser [[HMS Fearless (CA-286)|HMS Fearless]]. Her executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Andreas Venizelos, is overseeing the ship's refit at the space station ''Vulcan''. Honor is happy with the results, even though there are still minor things to be done. Back on the station, Honor meets up with her parents, Alfred and Allison Chou Harrington. After being embarrassed by her mother's observations about Lieutenant Commander Venizelos's physical attributes and Honor's own lack of a sex life, she hosts a party attended by a number of officers, including her old mentor, retired Admiral Raoul Courvosier. He asks to see her in private, and they talk about their upcoming diplomatic mission to the Yeltsin's Star System. Lying between the Star Kingdom of Manticore and the People's Republic of Haven, it is of strategic value in the current cold war between the two star nations. Its sole habitable planet, Grayson, was settled by a group of religious zealots called the Church of Humanity Unchained long before the first colonists arrived on Manticore, but due to their anti-technology views they are now a backward civilisation. They also give no rights to women, which Honor finds barbaric. Courvosier explains that the fact that she is a female military leader -- something Graysons have never seen -- is an important part of the mission. Chapter Two Honor is working out in the ship gym as Fearless and her convoy make their way to Yeltsin's Star. Returning to her cabin and having a cup of cocoa, she contemplates the vastness of space and the difficult nature of her mission, and eventually falls asleep. Chapter Three At a dinner with her senior officers and guests, Honor discusses politics and military strategy with liberal politician Reginald Houseman, who believes that the conflict between Grayson and its traditional enemy, Masada, can be settled by diplomatic means. Honor doubts that, and puts Houseman in his place when he essentially belittles the role of the military in preserving stability. Some time later, Honor and Admiral Courvosier meet with the senior officers in private. The Admiral explains that they must do their best to leave a good impression with the Graysons, even if that includes respecting their unfamiliar views regarding the role of women in society. Fearless is thus to remain at Yeltsin's Star with four freighters full of industrial equipment, while five more ships are to continue to the Casca System with [[HMS Troubadour (Chanson-class)|HMS Troubadour]] and [[HMS Apollo|HMS Apollo]] as escort. At that point, they also learn that the Graysons are as of yet unaware that the senior officer of the Manticoran force is a woman. Chapter Four Sword of the Faithful Matthew Simonds of the Masadan Navy arrives on the bridge of his flagship, the battlecruiser ''Thunder of God'', and requests a briefing with his flag captain, Alfredo Yu. Yu and a third of his crew are on loan from the People's Republic of Haven, as is the Thunder of God herself. Simonds informs Yu that the Manticoran convoy has a heavier-than-expected escort, and that Operation Jericho will be postponed until they can be certain that the Manticorans will not intervene on the Graysons' behalf. Yu disagrees, and the two have a short discussion about their respective star nations' goals in the region. Chapter Five Fearless and her convoy leave hyperspace and arrive in the Yeltsin's Star System, making their way towards the orbit of Grayson. Honor is amazed by the huge amount of primitive space industry, especially when she realizes that much of it consists of orbital cattle farms. She recalls the information about the planet, which is highly toxic for humans. High Admiral Bernard Yanakov of the Grayson Space Navy rendezvous with Fearless and welcomes Admiral Courvosier aboard. He and his officers are shocked when they are introduced to Captain Honor Harrington. Chapter Six Havenite ambassador to Grayson Leonard Masterman discusses the Manticorans' arrival with Captain Michaels, his senior military attache. He does not share the officer's concern and believes the Manticorans decision to confront the Graysons with a female command-level officer might actually work in Haven's favor. Honor and Lieutenant Commander Venizelos give the High Admiral and his officers a tour of Fearless. When Grayson Commander Harris shows disrespect towards Honor, she rebukes him. The High Admiral realizes that Venizelos is quite angry about him not dressing Harris down right away. Some time later, Yanakov discusses the recent developments with Protector Benjamin Mayhew IX, the ruler of Grayson, in the latter's private flower garden. The Protector informs him that Captain Harrington holds the Manticore Cross, one of the Star Kingdom's highest decorations for heroism under fire. They discuss the different accounts of the Battle of Basilisk offered by Manticore and Haven, and the fact that Manticore's version is likely the truth. They are also concerned what the most conservative of the Protector's advisors, like Jared Mayhew and Howard Clinkscales, will have to say, especially since the Protector's power has constantly been diminished in the last century. Chapter Seven Honor and Marine Sergeant Major Iris Babcock train in the martial art of coup de vitesse in Fearless gym before another meeting with Admiral Courvosier. Honor suggests that it might have been a mistake to assign her to the mission in the first place, but the admiral points out that she is the best available symbol for what a female naval officer can achieve, and what Manticore is willing to do in order to counter Havenite interference on its borders. He also suggests that Honor should escort the remaining convoy to Casca, and leave only one of her ships, the destroyer [[HMS Madrigal|HMS Madrigal]], at Yeltsin's Star. Commander Thomas Theisman, the Havenite loan officer in command of the now-Masadan destroyer ''Principality'', is informed that part of the Manticoran force is preparing to leave Grayson. He orders his ship to return to Masada to inform Sword Simonds and Captain Yu. Chapter Eight Admiral Courvosier is invited to dinner with High Admiral Yanakov, and is surprised when two of the latter's wives attend as well. The Grayson apologizes for his officers' behavior towards the RMN's female personnel, and points out how important the possibility of an alliance is. Yanakov also explains the historical background of the Grayson Civil War and the schism between the Faithful and the Moderates of the Church of Humanity Unchained, and how Graysons had to rebuild their tech base basically from scratch after centuries of anti-technology dogma. And how the Faithful were eventually exiled to Masada, vowing to return and have their revenge. Grayson's way into the future will be difficult, but there is no way back now. Chapter Nine Aboard Thunder of God, Captain Yu contemplates the events that led him to become and officer in the People's Navy, now in temporary service of the religious fanatics of Masada. In conversation with Sword Simonds, he points out that the departure of part of the Manticoran force gives them a window for the execution of Operation Jericho. The single RMN vessel will likely not interfere when the Masadans attack the Grayson Space Navy. Sword Simonds is confident that the Council of Elders will agree, and Yu looks forward to finishing his mission and return home to Haven. Chapter Ten Aboard Fearless, Ensign Carolyn Wolcott approaches Lieutenant Prescott Tremaine, and tells him that she was disrespected and sexually harrased by a Grayson officer when dropping the admiral's luggage on the surface. Tremaine angrily tells her that she should have reported this grave misconduct immediatly, and also promises to aquaint her with Chief Horace Harkness, who knows how to deal with people like that particular Grayson officer through "unofficial" channels. Commander Alistair McKeon of the Troubadour meets with Honor for a private dinner. They discuss her decision to lead the Casca convoy's escort herself, and McKeon is not afraid to suggest that she may have tried to avoid problems for the Manticoran diplomats' mission. Chapter Eleven The diplomatics talks on Grayson are off to a rocky start mainly due to Reginal Houseman's somewhat unrealistic expectations. Admiral Courvosier humiliates him in front of the Grayson delegation, to which he later protests. The admiral reacts by threatening to remove Houseman from the delegation. At the same time, two unidentified starships drop out of hyperspace at the fringes of the system. Chapter Twelve High Admiral Yanakov informs Courvosier about unidentified hyper footprints, and the Manticoran offers to use the superior sensors aboard the Madrigal to identify them. They quickly realize that there is an entire fleet of Masadan light cruisers and destroyers heading for Orbital Four, one of Yeltsin's outer mining processing nodes. Only one underguned ship is in range to assist, but Yanakov refuses to send it on a suicide mission, and orders the station's commanding officer, Captain Hill, to fight as well as he can. Soon the battle between Orbital Four and the Masadans begins, and Captain Hill's crew manages to destroy the enemy flagship, the light cruiser [[MNS Abraham|MNS Abraham]], before they are themselves killed. Sword Simonds is angry about the loss of the Abraham, but Captain Yu points out that the trap is set exactly as planned. Chapter Thirteen Some time later, the Masadan fleet has destroyed two more Grayson space stations. The High Admiral decides that he cannot sit idly by as his home system's entire space industry is vaporized, and he and Courvosier decide to lead a Grayson-Manticoran Combined Fleet against the enemy. Chapter Fourteen Admiral Courvosier takes his flag aboard Madrigal as the Combined Fleet prepares to meet the enemy. Sword Simonds and Captain Yu watch the action from afar, determined to keep the Havenite loan units out of the fighting until the GSN is done for. When the GSN engages, the Masadans counter with modern missiles, leaving the Graysons no other choice but to evade. [[GNS Ararat (destroyer)|GNS Ararat]] and [[GNS Judah|GNS Judah]] are destroyed almost instantly, while most other units are heavily damaged. As the fight continues, [[GNS Austin Grayson|GNS Austin Grayson]] is destroyed, killing High Admiral Yanakov, while a critical hit on Madrigal kills Admiral Courvosier. Command of the Combined Fleet passes to Commodore Wesley Matthews aboard [[GNS Covington|GNS Covington]]. He wants to cover the damaged Madrigal s retreat, but Commander Jason Alvarez convinces him to leave him and his ship behind so they can slow down the Masadans. The Manticoran ship then faces the enemy. Chapter Fifteen As Fearless, Troubadour, and Apollo arrive back at Yeltsin's Star, they face three unidentified light attack craft. When Commander McKeon orders a scan of the lead ship, they fire their lasers at the Troubadour, damaging the starboard bow. The Manticorans bring their point defense online, and moments later the ship turns around and its energy weapons blow the three Masadan ships to pieces. Chapter Sixteen After receiving a damage report from Commander McKeon, Honor orders her ships to stay in a tight formation, believing that the Graysons turned on Manticore. Ambassador Anthony Langtry contacts her from Grayson and informs her that the Masadans have invaded the system and destroyed most of the Grayson Navy, and that Admiral Courvosier is dead. Honor is devastated by this news, blaming herself for leaving him unprotected. Eventually, she sends a message to Grayson that she will make her way for the planet's orbit, then leaves the bridge. Chapter Seventeen Aboard the Thunder of God, Commander George Manning meets with Captain Yu, who is angry because the Masadans will not allow him to use the full power of his ships in defeating the Graysons. The Madrigal has delivered terrible destruction before being overwhelmed, and now Sword Simonds is more concerned about his own force's losses than about defeating the enemy as soon as possible. Ton encrease the available tonnage in Yeltsin's Star, Thunder of God is now being used to tow in Masadan LACs from their home base in the Endicott System, while Principality remains in Yeltsin. Meanwhile, Sword Simonds meets with his brother, Thomas, the Chief Elder of the Masadan branch of the Church of Humanity Unchained, and his senior advisors. They discuss their options, and decide to continue the military operation against the "Apostate" and prepare the scene for a secret agent named "Maccabeus". Chapter Eightteen Honor arrives at the Manticoran embassy on Grayson and meets with Ambassador Langtry, Reginald Houseman, and the Grayson military liaison, Commander Mark Brentworth. The latter informs her that Admiral Leon Garret refuses to meet with her, which Honor finds unwise. At that point, Houseman interrupts and tries to order her to use all her assets to evacuate the Manticoran personnel -- including himself -- and abandon the Graysons. Honor's refusal to do so is supported by the ambassador. When Houseman threatens to have her court-martialed, Honor calls him a coward and slaps him across the face. She then angrily explains to him that she must stay and fight not just to protect the Graysons, but the Star Kingdom's promise to them, and the honor of the Queen. She then quickly returns to organizing the next steps of their military operation, which includes getting Admiral Garret to cooperate. When she asks who has the authority to put her in charge of the planet's defense over Garret's objections, everyone quickly agrees on Protector Benjamin himself. She requests the shocked Brentworth to organize a personal meeting with the ruler of Grayson for her, otherwise she will take her ships and personnel home. Chapter Nineteen At a meeting of the Protector's Council, Minister of Industry Jared Mayhew angrily protests the very notion of Captain Harrington meeting the Protector in person. Others agree, and the council keeps debating until Benjamin IX makes it clear that he will meet Harrington even over their objection. Jared Mayhew angrily storms out of the meeting at that point. A shopkeeper is contacted by a man he addresses as "Maccabeus", who informs him that the time has come to "reclaim the Temple". Hearing of the upcoming meeting between the Protector and Harrington, the shopkeeper promises to ready his team. Chapter Twenty Honor is welcomed in the Protector's Palace by Benjamin IX, who introduces her to his younger brother, Michael, and his two wives, Katherine and Elaine. She is surprised by the warm welcome, and quickly becomes comfortable dining with them. The Protector quickly agrees to get Admiral Garret out of the way and put supreme military command into the capable hands of Commodore Matthews. As they discuss the parallels between Grayson and ancient Japan, a new group of security guards arrives. As the leader of the men approaches Captain Fox, the head of the Protector's security detail, Honor's telepathic treecat companion Nimitz attacks and kills him. Fox drags the Protector to safety as Michael does the same with the Mayhew wives, as Nimitz takes down a second man. Honor, feeling the evil intentions of the "guards" through her connection with Nimitz, attacks the nearest assassin, as the dining room turns into a bloodbath. Eventually, Honor is taken down by an assassin who rises his disrupter to shoot her, but is shot and killed by Protector Benjamin with Captain Fox's gun before he can do so. Honor than loses consciousness. Chapter Twenty-One Honor awakens in Fearless sickbay, where Surgeon Commander Fritz Montoya informs her that she has been seriously injured and will likely lose her left eye because her body does not respond to regeneration therapy. When she gets out of bed, the doctor and Commander Venizelos try to convince her to take some more time off for recovery, but she refuses to do so. After getting into a uniform, she meets with Commader Alice Truman, who explains that she wound up in the middle of a coup attempt by a group called the Brotherhood of Maccabeus. The whole planet is in a state of shock as the evacuation of Manticoran personnel is underway. When Protector Benjamin calls, he is shocked by the sight of Honor's battered face, and assures her of his eternal gratitude for saving his family. He then tells her that his cousin Jared has confessed to being "Maccabeus", the latest in a line of Masadan deep cover agents who have plotted against Grayson from the inside for two generations. After "questioning" the surviving assassins, Howard Clinkscales was able to follow the leads to Jared, and recorded the latter's confession and attempt to lure Clinkscales over to his side. The Protector also makes it clear that there is only one penalty on Grayson for what his cousin has done. Benjamin also tells Honor that his cousin (like his uncle before him) used his position as Minister of Industry to transport Masadan agents and materials in and out of Yeltsin's Star. Their plan was to create panic with the new war and then kill the Protector and his brother, thus putting Jared in charge. Truman remarks that it seems unlikely that the Havenites knew about that part of the plan. Honor is also informed that a recording of the foiled assassination attempt had been playing constantly over Grayson's video nets, turning her into a global heroine. Chapter Twenty-Two Honor is finally invited to Grayson Command Central, where she meets Admiral Garret and the newly promoted Admiral Matthews, now in command of all the GSN's mobile units. She explains their tactical abilities to the Grayson officers, and even the gruffy old Garret begins to warm up to her. Soon Councilman Clinkscales arrives and informs them that they have interrogated a Masadan pilot who revealed the existence of an advanced base on Blackbird, a moon of the gas giant Uriel. It should not be to well defended, as at least one hyper-capable unit is being used to tow LACs in from Endicott, so it is decided to attack the base. Chapter Twenty-Three Commander Theisman is informed that the Graysons are moving on Blackbird, but Captain Harrington's ships is nowhere to be seen. He mentioned to Lieutenant Al Hillyard that once he returns home to Haven, he will take his anger about what the Masadans are doing at Blackbird Base out on the person who thought up this entire mission in the first place. Theisman assumes correctly that Harrington and her ships are hiding behind the approaching Grayson force. As they arrive in Blackbird's missile range, two salvos are launched against them, but their defense manages to intercept them all. One of the missiles of the third salvo, however, gets through and damages Fearless. The force continues and starts flying around Blackbird towards the Masadan units hiding on the other side, while the Principality tries to sneak up from behind. A battle ensues during which many Grayson and most of the Masadan ships are destroyed. Just then, Principality attacks Apollo and Troubadour from behind, doing some terrible damage, but Fearless returns in time to shoot the Havenite ship into a wreck. Theisman orders his crew to surrender, and is soon hailed by Captain Harrington. Chapter Twenty-Four Honor meets with Commander Theisman and confronts him with the fact that his ship is clearly a Havenite vessel manned to a large extend by Havenite-born crewmembers. He ignores this and informs her that there are Manticoran prisoners taken from the Madrigal down on Blackbird. He also makes it clear that he believes they need to be rescued from their captors as soon as possible. Honor meets with Admiral Matthews and her own senior Marines to plan the taking of Blackbird Base. Matthews gladly gives her permission to storm the compound. Chapter Twenty-Five Major Tomas Ramirez and his Royal Manticoran Marines attack Blackbird Base with shuttles, deploying hundreds of troops to breach trough the defenses. The Masadan commander, Captain Williams, tries to keep them at bay, not noticing that Captain Susan Hibson is taking a smaller force inside from the back, making her way to the control room. When his men try to flee, Captain Williams starts shooting after them, killing at least one of his lieutenants. Moments later, the Manticoran Marines take the control room and Captain Hibson orders all Masadans to stand down or face the consequences. Chapter Twenty-Six When Honor arrives in the base, Masadan ground forces commander Harris quickly reveals the location of the Manticoran prisoners. The Marines then discover that the Madrigal survivors have been mistreated, tortured, and many of them murdered. Ensign Mai-ling Jackson and Commander Mercedes Brigham are among the few left alive, and Honor is able to convince Jackson to let the medics help Brigham, as the ensign collapses in the captain's arms. After a few minutes, she is able to report how the surviving crew was picked up and how she and Brigham were gang-raped numerous times. At this point, Honor draws her sidearm, turns around and goes back to the control room to execute Captain Williams on the spot. Her crewmen throw themselves at her, trying desperately to keep her from committing a court-martial offense. Admiral Matthews arrives just in time to convince her, on the honor of the Grayson Space Navy, to let him have the Masadans tried and executed in accordance with the law. Chapter Twenty-Seven Some time later, Honor has learned that of the fifty-three survivors Commander Theisman delivered to Blackbird Base, only nineteen could be recovered alive, Brigham and Jackson being the only women among them. Theisman himself was as shocked as her, and promised to testify against the Masadans in court. She has also learned that the ship they will soon face is a Havenite ''Sultan''-class battlecruiser, a ship far superior to anything she has available. She thus orders Commander Truman to take her ship home to Manticore and alert the Admiralty. On Masada, Captain Yu and the Havenite ambassador discuss the destruction of the Masadan units at Yeltsin's Star, and the fact that the entire operation has backfired, driving Grayson even deeper into Manticore's arms. The ambassador decides to request backup from Haven and stall the Masadans until the entire affair is over. However, the Masadans tape the conversation, and the Council of Elders, on the initiative of Elder Huggins, decides to order Sword Simonds to take control of Thunder of God and attack Grayson before the Manticoran relief force can arrive. Sword Simonds realizes that Huggins is using the entire plan to set himself up as the Chief Elder's successor, but looks forward to the chance of a glorious battle in God's name nonetheless. Chapter Twenty-Eight Honor bids Alice Truman and her crew (as well as the Madrigal survivors) farewell as the Apollo starts its journey back to Manticore. Truman orders her chief engineer to take their hyper generator's safety interlocks offline in order to cut another day from their travel time. Chapter Twenty-Nine Three days after the Battle of Blackbird, Captain Yu contemplates the Masadans' unexpectedly cooperative reaction to Ambassador Lacy's proposed delay of operations, and the fact that the Thunder of God is to be used as a personnel transport for the time being. Back in the Manticore System, Admiral of the Green Hamish Alexander, Earl of White Haven, is aboard his flagship, the battlecruiser [[HMS Reliant|HMS Reliant]], already en route to the hyper limit. He welcomes Commander Truman aboard, and enquires about her exceptional travel time from Yeltsin. She confesses that she took all safeties off her hyperdrive, taking the Apollo all the way into the iota bands. Once in the briefing room, she begins to give a detailed acount of recent events, fully aware that if the fleet arrives in Yeltsin and finds Captain Harrington and her crew dead, it will mean war between Manticore and Haven. Meanwhile, Honor prepares her crew and her ship for the arrival of the Thunder of God. Chapter Thirty Captain Yu's ship is loaded with Masadan "miners" heading for their asteroid bases, even though most of them do not seem to have vacuum suits with them. As Yu discusses the situation with his staff, Commander Manning notices a hidden pistol on his Masadan communications officer. He contacts the captain, using the code word "bounty" to indicate an imminent mutiny by the Masadan part of the crew. Yu acknowledges, arms his officers with sidearms from a secret gun stash, and tells them that they must cripple the ship rather than let it fall into Masadan hands. A Masadan colonel arrives with ten armed men and informs Yu of the ship's official takeover, but the captain manages to kill all but one of them with his pulser. Realizing that the sole survivor will soon warn Sword Simonds, Yu sends the message "Bounty Four-One" to all hands. Major Joseph Bryan secures the armory, but Lieutenant Mount, the sole Havenite on duty in the engine room, is killed before he can react. Commander Manning can only block the ship's helm before being shot as well. In the end, only a quarter of Captain Yu's crew makes it to the boat bay and escapes aboard pinnaces, determined to find a place to hide. Chapter Thirty-One While at diner, Honor is informed that a hyper footprint has been detected on the outskirts of Yeltsin's Star, trying to sneak up on Grayson from behind the sun. Honor takes Fearless and Troubadour to meet the enemy on a convergent course. The Manticoran vessels match the Thunder of God s course at every turn, following it for hours. Chapter Thirty-Two When the Masadan vessel eventually launches its first missiles, the Manticorans take them out and return fire. Both Thunder of God and Fearless suffer hits, and Sword Simonds orders his ship to break off. Honor quickly deduces from the irratic fighting style that there is no longer a Havenite crew in charge of the enemy ship. Chapter Thirty-Three A few hours later, the Masadans return for another attack, this time concentrating on the Troubadour. The smaller ship is heavily damaged, as is Fearless; one of Troubadour s fusion bottles is hit and the aft section of the ship explodes. Sword Simonds now concentrates his fire on Fearless, doing terrible damage to the ship, including the after impeller ring and the entire communications crew. Lieutenant Rafael Cardones sends another missile salvo spearheaded with ECM missiles, blocking the enemy's sensors. Four of them get through, destroying the Thunder of God s port sidewall. The ship then turns away from the Fearless, which is in no condiction to pursue. Chapter Thirty-Four As both crews try to keep their ships together, Sword Simonds decides that there is only one course of action left to him; he orders a course to be set directly at Grayson. Honor intents to intercept, and as the two vessels race towards each other, noone aboard either of them notices the sixteen battlecruisers and their escorts coming out of hyperspace at the outskirts of the system. Admiral White Haven takes the tactical situation in and sends a message to Honor to break of the attack and leave the enemy ship to his fleet. No longer able to receive the message, Honor orders her com officer to play Salvatore Hammerwell's Salute to Spring over the intercom. White Haven's flag captain orders a missile broadside to be fired at Thunder of God, as the Masadan ship fires on Fearless again. When the Manticoran fleet's missiles arrive on pure ballistic power, the Masadan defenses cannot stop them in time. After they hit, Sword Simonds orders Thunder of God to evade, thus inadvertently dropping his defenses and allowing Fearless s energy weapons broadside to destroy his ship. Chapter Thirty-Five Some time after the Second Battle of Yeltsin's Star, Honor arrives aboard HMS Reliant for a routine meeting with Admiral White Haven. She is surprises to find Ambassador Langtry, Admiral Matthews, and Protector Benjamin IX aboard as well. A lot has happenend: Commander McKeon has survived Troubadour s destruction with about a hundred of his crew, and the Masadan officers from Blackbird Base have been tried and hanged on Grayson. The Manticoran Alliance has conquered the Endicott System and the planet Masada, and Alfredo Yu has requested asylum after being picked up. Also, Reginald Houseman has gotten the Admiralty to reprimand Honor for her behavior towards him. White Haven, however, points out that the queen is in fact very pleased with Honor's conduct. Protector Benjamin asks her to sign the Treaty of Alliance in her Majesty's stead, and also informs her that he has requested the Grayson parliament to create a new feudal province called Harrington Steading, for Honor and her descendants to rule. She is shocked by the suggestion, but the Protector explains that in order to ease his star nations way into the modern age, they need a strong woman such as her to show the way. Ambassador Langtry points out that the queen endorses the move, and will make Honor Countess Harrington under Manticoran law at the same time. Honor eventually accepts. Finally, the Protector awards her the Star of Grayson, the highest decoration his people have to offer. Just when she thinks the day can hold no more surprises, Commanders McKeon and Truman arrive and bear witness as Ambassador Langtry makes Honor a Knight Commander in the Order of King Roger. He then warmly asks her to continue to uphold the honor of the queen. Category:Chapter Lists